| rev:text
| - Tis the season.
It seems that any Holiday-themed event will sellout due to the spirit of the season but the day after Thanksgiving felt like nothing but left-overs based on the Portland performance of Mannheim Steamroller. Yes, myself and about 4,000 other attendees paid $100 and upwards to basically see a MHSR cover-band. And a bad one a that. I felt I was 'watching' a record being played. No emotion, no interaction, no pulse, no guidance, and certainly no fun. If I want to see robotic musicians, I'll go to Chuckie Cheese. At least I can get a slice and some beers to liven up the festivities.
This event concert was nothing like the 1984 groundbreaking LP with its classical, medieval, and modern blend that made their sound something special. In fact, the show was stuck in 1984. The synced music videos playing randomly behind the musicians during the performance reminded me of old VHS tapes resurrected after being stuck in a box in an attic for 30 years. Thank god the band still had a tape player. While everyone digitizes media for current presentations these guys resurrect analog. The 'man-in-space' tribute intro tune used old NASA stock footage and a very uninspired soundtrack. Something you'd hear waiting to check out at Macys.
The music? You mean the 2-hour drum solo? My god man, share the spotlight with some of the other musicians! I know the genius behind MHSR is rhythm guy but why so much focus and over-the-top theatrics for the drummer(s)? I guess he's good, right? I mean he can twirl his sticks, elbow the snare, constantly play with his hair, sing harmonies, start each song with the same locomotive-like intros, play with his hair, play the triangle, etc. yet I was transfixed on this man because the whole production seemed to center on him. And he ate it up.
Speaking of acoustics, did I mention the sound? There was virtually no clean sound except for of course, the drum and rhythm parts. The dueling beat boys positioned above the ensemble and center-stage exploded with over-amped congas, tympanies, bells, snares, cabasa, cymbals, cowbells, salt & pepper shakers, timbale, claves; totally smothering the rest of the performer's sound and ultimately the theater mix. String and brass musicians provided supporting accompaniment yet could not be heard. French horn? Saw the instrument go to his mouth but never heard a sound. Trumpet solo kind of sounds like a snare drum? Oh, it is because drummer guy is blasting away! 4 violinists? Are they even playing?
Even worse was the carney-like marketing tactics from Chip Davis interspersed throughout the show. Delivered for our pleasure via the magic of video tape, the brain behind MHSR shills for his music and products - advancing his CD sales prior to the intermission with teases of 'early-release' tracks from a yet-to-be-released album. "Get 'em before they're gone" states Mr. Davis in an unkempt yellow Michigan sweatshirt bearing an uncanny likeness to the Simpsons' comic book store guy. Chip leaves us after being beamed back, ala Star Trek, to his lair as we wait during the intermission. Another tender moment is during the 2nd half when the 4,000 napping concert goers are treated a filmed studio session with Elyse Davis, Chips' daughter. We see the young singer take on Greensleeves ala MHSR - a 'riveting rendition' so states the website. Riveting? No. Rip-off? Yes. Why am I paying $100 to watch a video of a singer with a live band? Makes me wonder how much of this show may have been pre-recorded.
It was obvious that the performance lost the audience very quickly. A sign that things aren't going well is after every song the audience almost in unison reaches for the program to count-down the songs left on the setlist. Checking one's watch was also a very popular among many around my seat. Including the ushers. This concert leaves a bad taste and will forever taint the MHSR CDs that my family listens too each year. I will laugh, cry, but mostly laugh at the sounds I hear as I equate them to the subpar and uninspired show I saw on Nov 26.
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